(Prov 22:19 AMP) So that your trust (belief, reliance, support, and confidence) may be in the Lord, I have made known these things to you today, even to you.
I failed to mention this before, but a couple of verses ago we crossed over into a new section of the Book of Proverbs. Many consider this to be the third 'book within the book.' The first ended with 9:18, the second with 22:16, and now this third "book" began with 22:17 and will continue to 24:34. In this "book" we will see Solomon exalt wisdom in a didactic way. He is forthright and especially clear as he takes the teacher-student or parent-child approach to teaching. Solomon speaks to us, as his students or children, directly, intently, and personally (often using "you" and "I").
This verse (19) is a continuation of a thought that started with verse 17 and it continues on for two more verses after this one. Note the imperatives Solomon has given us thus far. "Listen to the words of the wise," urging us to give our full attention to divine wisdom, so that we can get God's ways down inside our heart. "Apply your mind," once again, driving home the fact that we must not approach God or His Word with any less than our full attention, giving ourselves over to His instruction. "Keep them in your mind," not only must we learn God's Word and ways, but we must remember them. The Word we hear will do us no good if we can't recall it when the situation demands the wisdom from it. "Your lips will be accustomed to [confessing] them," once we get God's Word cemented within the foundation of our heart, our lips will testify of our transformation and we will declare what God has already decreed, going 'public' with our beliefs. This way the student, who is willing to repeat the lessons of the teacher, can actually become a teacher himself as he shares divine wisdom with others.
So what was the purpose of all that Solomon taught us in verses 17 and 18? Why should we listen to, apply, keep, and declare God's wisdom? Verse 19 gives us the answer: so that our trust may be in the Lord. The more we do what Solomon is teaching us to do (listen to, apply, keep, and declare) the more we will develop a firm trust in the Lord our God. The Amplified Bible translation helps us understand what is meant by this word "trust." It's about settling in our hearts what we truly believe. It's about relying on God Himself as our single source for life and sustenance. It's about receiving divine support for our hopes, dreams, aspirations and efforts. And it's about developing an unwavering confidence in God that cannot and will not be moved. All these things are enveloped in the word "trust."
So what does this mean to you? It means that you must do all that you can to get to the point where you truly and totally trust God. But you will never get there is you don't welcome Him in. So give God the license to operate in your life. Open the door to your heart and allow Him the leeway to get involved in your daily experiences. The more you allow Him in, the more He will come in and the more you will experience Him in a personal way. Once you do and you start to listen to, apply, keep, and declare His wisdom, the end result will be your genuine trust in Him.
Father, I want to know You more and more. I want to develop in Your Word, will, and way. I want to get to the point where I am fixed, firm, and focused in my faith. I want to trust You with my whole heart. Therefore, I declare, by faith, that I will intensely listen to the words of the wise, I will give full attention to Your teachings, I will keep Your Word in my heart so I can recall it when necessary, and I will declare Your Word from my lips, openly and unashamedly taking You public. The more I do these things the more my trust in You will be solidified. I shall get to the point where my trust will be like Mount Zion - strong, firm, fixed, and unmovable. In Jesus' name. Amen!
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